Survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Bifidobacterium bifidum BB-02 in white-brined cheese

The viability of probiotic cultures used as adjunct cultures including Bifidobacterium bifidum BB-02 and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 in white-brined cheese was investigated. The microbiological and biochemical properties of cheeses were assessed throughout 90 days of storage. Two inoculum rates for probiotic starters (2.5% and 5.0%, v/v, corresponding to (1.0-1.3)x10(9) cfu/g and (2.0-2.1)x10(9) cfu/g, respectively) were compared with the control cheese. Results obtained showed that a higher inoculum rate resulted in faster proteolysis. The cheese inoculated with 5% probiotic strains had higher water-soluble nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen, proteose-peptone nitrogen and tyrosine values than the other experimental cheeses. At the end of storage, the cheese supplemented with 5% probiotic culture had a ripening coefficient of 28.3%, followed by 2.5% probiotic strains containing the sample being 24.9%, and the control being 23.6%, respectively. It was also found that the colony counts of both probiotic microorganisms declined during storage. After 90 days of storage, the number of probiotic colonies were still around the threshold for a minimum probiotic effect (10(6) cfu/g).